Telling Dad
by yellow 14
Summary: Claire is getting married and her dad is shocked by the announcement. But Claire has more than one surprise in store for her parents


Disclaimer: I don't own and never will.

"M-m-m-married!" Need exclaimed in disbelief as his daughter Claire told him the news. "But-but-but you're still barely a child and I mean, well surely you should be, I mean-"

"Dad, I'm eighteen years old," Claire said calmly to her still very shocked father. Need sank into his chair and brought his hands up to his head. Claire however pressed on. "I'm eighteen, not some naïve child fresh out in the world."

"But-but-but why him? Why not someone else, like that nice boy Max?" Need asked desperately and Claire rolled her eyes. If she had said Max, he would no doubt say someone else or that they were both too young or something similar. He seemed to think she was still his little girl, who sat on his knee and climbed over him. It was annoying when she hit puberty and now it was driving him to try and put off her marriage to the man she loved.

"Max isn't in love with me and even if he wasn't already taken, he wouldn't be interested in me," Claire said with a slight tang as she remembered her own crush on him as a teenager. "I had a crush on him when I was a lot younger than I am now and he wasn't interested in me for the same reason he's not interested in me now," she paused and took a deep breath. Her dad must be the only person in Palm Brinks who didn't know this.

"Max is gay," she said and Need looked at his daughter in surprise. "Everyone in Palm Brinks knows it by now, especially since he was seen walking hand in hand with his boyfriend Donny."

"Well surely you would be happier with someone more…more your own age?" Need asked. "Maybe someone like that nice Fabio boy? He's a good fisherman, that's an excellent sign of patience."

Claire rolled her eyes and signed.

"Dad, you barely know who Fabio is, do you?" she asked firmly and Need began stuttering. "I didn't think so. He's getting married later this year to Julia"

"Well-well-well, what about Eric? He's a nice boy, has a nice stable job and a promising future on the Blackstone One railway. I'm sure he'd make a better match than-"

"Dad, Eric is the one who got Olivie knocked up. And Mena. And he's the father of Julia's child. I also have heard rumours that he slept with Monica and Milane. I don't want a womaniser like that," Claire said and Need looked at her surprised once more.

"But he seemed such a nice boy," he said almost distantly. "Charming and always ready to help and-and…" he let his words trail off and Claire sighed. Ever since that clown Flotsam had…terrified him so, he had never been the same again. Little wonder he didn't know half of what went on in Palm Brinks.

"Dad, I'm making the right choice," Claire said with conviction. Need looked unconvinced.

"But…but he's old enough to be your father!" he protested feebly and Claire knew his resistance was crumbling.

"Just like you and mum really," Claire replied with a smirk. "The age difference is not that big."

"Well, I mean, surely that's an example of everything going right," he protested and Claire smirked.

"Then why don't you let me say the same?" Granny and grandma didn't like or approve of your marriage either," she said, before looking away suddenly.

"Well yes, you can keep dating him if you like. You both have so much life ahead of you, it would be a shame for you to just rush into something this serious," he said, happy to have provided a compromise that she would find hopefully find acceptable. Claire looked a bit sheepish and looked away.

"Actually…I think we have a good reason to get married sooner than later," she said sheepishly and Need sighed.

"And what is it?" he asked, not sure he wanted to know what was going on.

"Well…"Claire started "I'm pregnant. Cedric and I wanted to keep it a bit on the secret side and, especially as he's the father and-"

A sudden clonking sound echoed through the room as Need abruptly fainted and Claire laughed. There was no way her parents would object to the marriage now…


End file.
